On his fifth album, Courage, Mamadou Diabate carves out a new direction. A departure from the traditional melodies on his previous album, these contemporary pieces highlight his versatility as a composer and affirm his place as one of the finest kora players living in the world today. He is accompanied here by a five piece band recorded in Bamako, Mali. His previous solo effort, Douga Mansa, took home a 2009 GRAMMY® Award in the category of Best Traditional World Music.

“This just might be the new contender to the kora throne.” — SONGLINES